Can't rate this place highly enough. Heavenly, good portions of pasta with wonderful flavour, and friendly, attentive staff. Will be back to try every dish!
With so many things to try from the menu I went for the Fettuccine Pentolina with the king prawns and scallops and was not disappointed - beautiful flavours! The rich saffron, cream and brandy sauce was sublime and topped with bursts of salmon roe that popped in my mouth. Delicious! Can't wait to visit again.
Beautiful dinner - great staff, wine list and atmosphere, fabulous pasta ...put it on your list
A bit of Italy in Melbourne. Excellent food, friendly staff, an authentic vibe.
Best pasta outside of Italy! Great service and atmosphere, lovely little bar, cosy, great drinks menu, yummy desserts, can't wait to come back!! :D
My new favourite pasta bar. The spaghetti alle vongole was seriously one of the best I've had in Melbourne - generous serving of clams, and beautifully cooked pasta. Service was very friendly. The restaurant's design is beautiful, offering a mix of table and bench seating. It was fun seeing the Pasta Maestro at work from the open kitchen.
Delicious fresh pasta and calamari. We had the pork belly carbonara with home made spaghetti. Delicate flavours and texture. We will be back �
Delicious pasta, friendly staff, great service! Will definitely be back soon :)
Delicious pasta bar and fabulous staff
Great fresh old school food with a twist and fresh pasta made in house FANTASTIC!!!!
We walked in off street and found this gem of a place. Staff very friendly and food was delicious. I had the gnocchetti and Mrs the wholemeal fettucine with sausage. Really tasty. Highly recommend.
Had the rabbit pappadelle - absolutely loved it. Lovely wines too. Will return.
I had the rabbit pappardello. Absolutely loved it! The staff as quite humble and very friendly. Will surely be back!
Very speedy service, with an appropriate amount of wait time between each dish. Staff were absolutely lovely and explained all the specials of the day. The pasta was cooked perfectly aldente and flavours were vibrant.
Went here to celebrate my mums promotion with the family and we had the best time. The zucchini flowers, carpaccio and burrata are incredible. My mum and I are both gluten intolerant and the gluten free bread and pasta provided was amazing. Didn’t even feel like I missed out on anything which is always nice as a GF diner! The blood orange creme brûlée is delicious. Didn’t get to try the cocktails personally but they look amazing and will definitely come back. Thank you guys for the amazing food and service!
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Pentolina has a buzz; wherever you sit, you’re close to the kitchen and the action. Not too noisy and professional, warm service throughout the night. An interesting mix of entrees and ‘small bites’. The fresh, house made pasta dishes are their specialty. Hard to decide so we’ll definitely be back soon to enjoy other dishes. We shared the Ricciola ( kingfish crudo and raspberry gazpacho). It melted in your mouth and beautifully presented. Went really well with the free sourdough bread, which you can buy to take home. For main, I had Tagliatelle beef ragu which had amazing taste. My partner had Squid ink spaghetti with cuttlefish, saffron & saltbush. Great mix of subtle flavours. We shared a very generous mixed green salad. We enjoyed a Nebbiolo Rose from the Adelaide Hills. For dessert, I had a blood orange Creme brûlée with pistachio gelato. Light and intensely flavoured. My partner had the deconstructed chocolate gateau with chocolate brownie; hazelnuts, etc. Superb and beautifully presented. Although a broad and interesting wine list, Pentolina actively supports local produce and small wineries. A great addition to Melbourne’s laneways restaurants, in a quiet area. A casual, modern atmosphere with outstanding food and service. Highly recommend.
Love this place! From the decor to the long bar bench to the open kitchen to the amazing pasta to the incredibly open staff. Yay! Found a new pasta haunt in the CBD. Thanks Pentolina. P.S. the chickpea fries rock.
Beautifully polite service and a pasta that's cooked Al dente, it's almost too easy to miss this little lane way gem. We has the skinny chef's menu where we enjoyed 2 starters and 2 mains. I especially liked the seafood pasta - the prawns, clams and mussels were cooked just right with a briny burst of flavor. The beef carpaccio was tender and lightly seasoned. I'll be returning to try other items.
A family owned restaurant with fresh pasta made on-site, we were curious to try here since the owner worked at Pellegrini's.
My Fusili with shredded duck leg was tasty and plentiful. Al dente pasta is not for me but the distinct flavours and tenderness of the well-cooked duck made up for it. Another friend enjoyed the simple flavours of her pumpkin Agnolotti with sage and balsamic. Dessert was an undoubted highlight, with the beautifully presented Semifreddo winning our votes.
Friendly and attentive service on a not too busy night. There weren't enough people to create much of an ambiance. The ample bar seating is reminiscent of Pellegrini's while the colour scheme gives the place it's own feel.
I enjoyed the ambiance and all the food we ordered except the STROZZAPPETI. Probably it was cooked in the right way, just I felt the “strangled priest” pasta was too al dente. Not that suitable for me. But the tastes were excellent.
I also suggest they install a hand dryer in the toilet. It doesn’t feel that good when you open the door and see a rubbish bin just in front of you.
I've now eaten here 4 times and each time there is a new dish for me to experience. I'm absolutely in love with the fresh pastas and the share plates. Great spot to bring your friends if you want to eat and drink the afternoon noon away.
Th atmosphere is cozy and relaxed in this small Italian pasta bar. Be warned there are limited tables but bar seating a plenty. Also they make a mean espresso Martini - possibly the best ever!!
Can't wait to come back here a fifth and a sixth time!!
You can also find more pictures on my Instagram @evesygal
We loved tasting our way through the restaurant's “Fat Chef’s Choice” degustation which features highlights from head chef Gabriele Olivieri’s new winter menu. The menu showcases the best of seasonal winter ingredients combined with a few of the chef’s favourite types of pasta, all made freshly in-house. And with small bites on arrival, entrées to prime your tastebuds for the pasta dishes and desserts to finish the night on a sweet note. It was truly a hearty meal to warm both the body and soul.
Have had two delicious meals here, both with large groups of 6+ people. The zucchini flowers are delish, as are the pasta dishes. Great venue for a fun work lunch or a classy yet casual dinner.
Came here with a few friends for lunch on a weekday; This place has the most amazing customer service, the staff here definitely went above and beyond. We were recommended the Fiore Di Zucchine, Crocchetta Di Baccala and Acciuga Del Cantabrico for entrees from the chef, we would normally not have ordered these dishes but glad we tried! The salted caramel cocktail is definitely a must to try as well! We had Fusilli All’Amatriciana and Ravioli Di Mauro for the mains, the dishes was cooked to perfection. Unfortunately we didn’t have time for desserts but 10/10 would be back again soon!
You can’t be everything to everyone so be yourself and you will attract the right people. Pentolina does rustic authentic home style Italian so well that it makes you weep. The small bites especially the carpaccio and baccala croquettes were exceptional. The pasta is absolute perfection, al dente of course and the gnocchi pillowy. The sauce is restraint, I love that, but may not suit everyone’s palate. However the steak didn’t quite hit the spot, possibly the meat itself as it looked good but the flavour was a bit lacking. The cocktails however were a real let down. The negroni was so watered down I couldn’t work out what I was drinking. The espresso martini look great but didn’t taste quite right.
A shout out to our waiter though for being welcoming, professional and delightful. We felt so well looked after and had a great night despite the cocktails.
Come for the food, have the cocktails elsewhere.
Between my first and second time it was close to one year and Pentolina was just as great this time. Very tasty fresh pasta, great service and relaxed atmosphere. The non pasta dishes are also excellent. Great for date nights and celebrations with small groups or just a quick good quality meal by yourself. Highly recommended!
Nice selection of pasta, squid ink was perfectly balanced and ala dente. Octopus was nice and soft. The negronis are delicious and they have a few to choose from. Food came out in good timing, perfect place for lunch.
The place had a nice feel of a busy Italian restaurant. There were quite a lot of bar counter seats and aome tables. The menu was small with a good mix of small plates for entree but the pasta menu was the main event. The clam pasta was delicious with a a strong clam sauce and strips of zucchini. The squid ink seafood spaghetti was al dente and flavoursome. The fettuccine carbonara was dry and not cheesy and eggy. I had to add the olive oil served with our bread as the pasta was gluggy. Overall nice spot for pasta. The service was friendly and prompt. Will be back to try the other pasta on offer.
Had some of the best pasta I have had outside Italy here the other night. We had the chef's feed me menu and it included everything from the menu that I had wanted to try. Particular favourites were the zucchini flowers with ricotta, salted cod and potato croquettes (my partner said they were the fanciest fish fingers he had ever had!), spaghetti vongole (avoid if you don't like strong seafood flavour but we LOVED it!) and the casarecce alle castagne (short pasta with creamy chestnut sauce). The only thing I wasn't super impressed with was the bolognese which had too much vinegar in it for my liking. I also had the sunset spritz which was amazing. We had to rush a little because we had somewhere to be but the food came out very promptly and the service was so nice. Will definitely be back!
Woke up feeling like a hearty bowl of pasta, came to pentolina but couldn’t quite find anything on the menu to satiate my craving - requested for something of napoli chillies olives anchovies capers and the awesome crew kindly whipped up puttanesca - yes that’s what it’s called lol blame my hungover brain. And it was everything I could ever ask for, generous proportion with spot on flavours beautifully presented - made me a happy happy girl :) Massive thanks to the floor staff and the most accommodating kitchen of course, will definitely be back! Love the interior and moody lighting which adds to the ambience
Small intimate restaurant serving fresh pasta with fresh ingredients. The service is great and quick. Portion is on the smaller side though. The Tagliolini have really fresh seafood in it however there are no much flavour overall. Would be perfect for either a quick bite or if you planning to spend a romantic dinner with your loved one.
Really enjoyed my visit to Pentolina. Lots of stool seating so a good location for single and couple dining. You must order an Aperol spritz. Mixed perfectly and it matches pasta so well. My pasta was simple - cacio e pepe - but perfectly executed. Pasta was the absolute epitome of al dente. It is a shame that they no longer have this item on their menu. My companion's carbonara was also very good. Very reasonably priced for the quality. I look forward to repeat visits.
Awesome pasta bar, with super friendly staff who make you feel so welcome. You can tell a lot of love has been invested in the restaurant, which is reflected in the delicious food!
Hungry Big Potato Bear
+5
I’m always very impressed by the food and service here. This place has the most awesome pasta dishes. I have tried the carbonara and cacio e pepe. There’s nothing you can fault. They use fresh pasta and it was cooked al dente. Staff are super nice and friendly.
We went to Pentolina for dinner, and ordered arancini and zucchini flower for entree, fettuccine with shrimp and lasagna for main and tiramisu and panna cotta for desert. Enjoyed all dishes, specially the desert which was amazing. Staff were very friendly and welcoming and ambience was nice. The menu is limited but they do a good job and I will definitely go back if I’m in the mood of pasta!
Pentolina is located at a quiet lane on lt Collins. It’s filled with industrial deco. Food was extremely nice. Service was awesome! Definitely will come back again!
Spaghetti bolognese isn’t hard to get wrong but the one I had here took it to another lip-smacking level. Wonderfully rich depth of flavour. Dare I say, one of the best I’ve ever had. So good!
Their feed me menu for $60 here is a MUST TRY: 12 delicious dishes and a very happy tummy! The squid ink and Mille fiulle specials were amazing!!!
We will definitely be back :)
Very tasty pasta made fresh and flavourful, had their truffle fettuccine and bolognese with wine and cocktails. Caprese salad, arancini and olives as sides so affordable for what you are gettinf
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New-ish pasta bar with a warm and inviting atmosphere and friendly staff who are happy to cater for little ones.
We ordered arancini, the gnocchi venison special, highly recommended salsiccia conchiglie and the fettuccine Pentolina.
Most places serve larger arancini balls but all you can taste is rice. Bigger is not better! Pentolina's? Just right. All the flavours came through so well.
The venison was a little dry but the gnocchi was so soft, so light, so pillowy! Couldn't help but smile each time I bit into each little ball of dough.
The conchiglie was ripe with salsicce juices, perfectly complemented by the roasted cauliflower.
And the fettuccine Pentolina was wonderfully married to its cream, prawns, scallops and roe. What an enjoyment for my tastebuds!
Better still was the joy of eating crusty bread with the remaining sauce.
The chips (for the young'un) were a bit starchy but otherwise the food was exceptional. I would suggest booking as it gets packed fairly quickly.
Tldr: Perfectly cooked pasta with simple yet amazing flavours.
Pentolina is a small Italian trattoria just off Little Collins Street that specialises in simple Italian food done well. The quality of the ingredient is fantastic, and the pasta is especially great.
Yumo, this newish Italian joint is just across from Trattoria Emilia! But no need for fisty-cuffs guys, there are enough patrons in this area for both of ya! Been solo & with others; both times the customer service has been efficient yet attentive. Bless them for the solo stools facing the windows! I may not recommend more than 4 at a table though, it gets busy during lunch rush. So far have eaten MATT’S SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE & the FETTUCCINE TARTUFO, both delish. Recommend saving the complimentary bread to soak up the goodness at the end! It's not cheap but for melb it's prob mid range & worth it for quality. The owners Matt & Julia know their shizz & the pasta is made fresh each day. I'll keep going through the menu & consider 5 stars
An ambient place where you'd want to take your work colleagues outside of work hours.
Ordered:
Conchiglie Salsiccia: pork + fennel sausage, crispy cauliflower, rosemary ($26.00)
Review:
The pasta itself was interesting. Since the pasta shape takes so much surface area, you really take your time to savour the taste of the pasta and appreciate the seasoning.
I really liked he crispy cauliflower - it added a much needed texture to the dish without overwhelming the already present flavours.
Would recommend this dish if you're in to try something new, but nothing too wild.
Apparently, this dish is also the crowd favourite!
As my mate said - "this is the place that tastes closest to my nonna's cooking".
Friendly staff and really good food - asked for more bread simply cos it was so nice. I will say the portion size was only just there .. another 20% more please. But more importantly the meal should have been hotter (temperature). Despite the above I still rate 4.0 cos it really was very nice.
What a lovely experience! We dined here earlier this evening, a great spot for a mid-week date night. The restaurant has a homely feel to it and all wait staff were attentive and friendly. I have some temporary diet requirements and the chef was so kind to cater for these. Our pastas were the perfect portions, and we shared a panna cotta for dessert which was delicious. The dishes were served very quickly, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer evening! We’ll be back.
newly opened in the city, Pentolina should definitely be on your “to try” list, if you haven’t already! Fresh and authentic italian food served with passion and love in an awesome vibe and cool decor. We did the chefs tasting menu which is certainly worth it and simply delicious! The pasta course was of course our favourite. The cheese and pepper, zucchini and eggplant pastas are pictured. The prosciutto and melon salad and calamari entrees were delicious. And the panna cotta and cannoli desserts were heavenly, though there was nothing we ate we didn’t love! Sit up along the bar for an extra special experience!
Very authentic Italian food at Pentolina. Finally cheap Italian food in the CBD where you are not paying $30 plus for a pasta dish.Very busy place so make sure you book a table. Also it’s located down Collins Way. It is on the corner next to Critical Hit.
😱Lizzie’s first impression: I loved the interior of this place - it’s minimalist but still has character as it’s hidden off Little Collins. The staff here are exceptionally friendly and really knows the menu well.
🍩Lizzie enjoyed: We had the oysters with negroni sauce and it was delicious! The highlight of this meal was the truffle oiled fettuccine pasta with oyster mushrooms. It is to DIE for and I would come back time and time again just for this. The seafood was also amazing and had generous amounts of muscles and clam.
🍅Lizzie did not enjoy: N/A
🥇Lizzie rates overall: Despite only been opened up for 2 months, this is already my new favourite Italian restaurant in Melbourne! Very hard to top!
Who doesn’t love fresh pasta? Whether it’s long, short, flat, curly or filled, each mouthful equals happiness. Pentolina has recently opened up on Collins Street and they make their pasta fresh every day. They pair their wonderful pasta with quality ingredients and do all of the traditional classics you know and love. They also have some great starters, desserts and wine to match. If you’re feeling like some quality comfort food I suggest you ditch that packet pasta in the pantry and trade it in for a night out at with fresh pasta at Pentolina.
Amazing experience for my Friday night dinner. Perfect customer service made feel so comfortable. Recommending seafood pasta for everyone! Definitely will come back exploring more delicious food.
I’ve heard friends rave about the fresh pasta from pentolina and finally got to try last week! Everything was cooked to perfection and I definitely have a new found respect for freshly made pasta, where the texture is simply on a whole new level.
Catering for vegans and making it easier to make, no egg is used to make the pasta and gluten free options are also available.
If I didn’t have to share the fettuccini with scallop and pasta I would have been so happy! Because it was simply one of the best pasta dishes I have had in a while!
Now let’s talk about dessert the freshly made cannoli (those who know me will know I am recently very obsessed with it!) with ricotta filling was a must and also the tiramisu with espresso and a shot of Kahlua will put a smile to anyone’s face!
Fabulous newcomer to Little Collins Street. Fresh home made pasta, wonderful service and a bustling lunchtime crowd. The Suppli were golden, crispy and light. The Carbonara and Eggplant Rigatoni was generous, authentic and tasty. Plenty of delicious fresh bread and butter to mop up our sauce. We will be back to try more of their pasta dishes.
Visited Pentolina after reading about this new restaurant in The Age. I have it as a guess that this place is going to quickly get the reputation as being Melbourne’s Best Authentic Pasta Restaurant.
The servings a very generous.
The ingredients are premium and fresh.
The kitchen is all open so you can see the chefs in action
The complementary bread with quality soft butter is delicious.
Give this place a try immediately!!!
Came here for to celebrate mine and my partner’s anniversary. Everything was perfect from the minute we sat down. Ordered the red wine on tap which was delicious and started with the negroni oysters on special. I hope they become a staple on the menu as they were the best oysters I’ve ever had (and I’m not much of a natural oyster fan!). Then I had the eggplant rigatoni and my partner had the carbonara - he said it was the best carbonara he’d ever had. It was the perfect amount of food for us. They do have a very generous looking feed me menu for $50 which we would be intrigued to try. Will definitely return soon!
Wonderful newcomer to the CBD whose freshly cooked pasta is delicious and at a very reasonable price. My favourite was the carbonara - so perfect, I don’t know how one could improve on it. The croquettes were impeccable and perfect for sharing. Great casual place! Must try!
Got the tap Sangiovese and the fettuccine carbonara. Wine was good and pasta was great. Service was prompt and friendly. Loved the bread and butter served on the table. Great night with friends after work!
Delicious freshly made pasta, the mushroom truffle pasta and the seafood marinara were both simple but full of flavour. The Pinogris on tap was also delicious! Will definitely be back for more! And the staff were very friendly and enthusiastic, and made the dining experience very enjoyable!
Pentolina is a great new find in Melbourne. I loved the suppli with that distinct flavour of saffron and the fresh pasta with a generous serve of vongole was just perfect. Will definitely be back for more!
My new favourite pasta bar. The spaghetti alle vongole was seriously one of the best I've had in Melbourne - generous serving of clams, and beautifully cooked pasta. Service was very friendly. The restaurant's design is beautiful, offering a mix of table and bench seating. It was fun seeing the Pasta Maestro at work from the open kitchen.
So happy I found this place, and I work so close I can't believe I never noticed it either.
Hits the pasta spot and the friendly and super professional wait staff make it all the more enticing for us to come back.
Starters complement the mains very well.
It a hidden (but not too much) gem just outside of 360 Collins St on the Lt Collins St side, and it's a must stop-by spot no matter the time of day.
This place is outstanding. The fresh pasta dish I had was absolutely delicious. The quality of the ingredients used was obvious from the first night. Really lovely traditional Italian fare done very very well. Full marks.
Fresh pasta and beautiful sauces. I had the pork and fennel and a bit of Bolognese. The Italian lager on tap is great. Recommend if you need a quick meal in town.
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. We chose the four dish feed me option and the food was really lovely. Quality and presentation was excellent with terrific flavour. The wine list is a good one too and we had no problem choosing a few beauties. Service was terrific throughout. Most efficient and friendly but never intrusive. Conclusion: it’s a very good restaurant. We would happily return anytime.
We went on a trip to Melbourne and wanted to have high quality Italian. We came here because we saw such good reviews about how it was like the best Italian place. We had the 4 course menu and it was decent but not too worth it in our opinion. The prawn pasta - prawn flavour was so strong. My mum makes prawn noodles and they taste much better.
The best part was the dessert. It tasted divine.
It was almost worth it.
This restaurant has a nice atmosphere. The staff know the menu, are polite and ensure your glass is always full! The menu is small, but what we ordered was done to perfection. I had the octopus and crab gnocchi, I can’t recommend that enough. I was going to give this 4 stars due to being pricey , but again, the food and service was brilliant.
Every single dish was absolute perfection and the service was top notch. Pentolina now falls within my top 5 dining experiences in Melbourne.
The rustic feel of the restaurant and ability to watch the chef’s in action through the glass screen made the experience even better.
Pentolina is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a date, client meeting or otherwise.
Pentolina - a favourite Italian restaurant that never disappoints. The food and wine menu is outstanding. We choose from the à la carte menu this time. The sparkling rose to start was perfect. We sat at the bar watching meals being cooked, whilst we waited for our table to be ready (we had arrived a little early). The service was great and the food incredible. We will be back!
My partner and I were looking for a new Italian restaurant to try, and we're so happy we went to Pentolina! The food was delicious, the drinks selection was lovely, and the staff and service were impeccable. The staff were so attentive, and made for a wonderful fine dining experience. We tried a range of stuzzichini, antipasti, and pasta - the pasta was honestly some of the best I've had in Melbourne. We will be back and will be recommending Pentolina to friends and family!!
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